Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge (NES) Soundtrack - 8BitStereo

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

Revamp time is finally getting to one of the NES's most legendary and underrated composers, Neil Baldwin, here comes updated 8BS treatment for Ferrari Grand Prix Challenge! The game is a solid formula-one racing game, with clean visuals and tight gameplay, but the shining memorability of this game comes from its fantastic soundtrack. As this was System 3's only NES developed game, they didn't have a dedicated sound team, so they got Neil Baldwin from Eurocom to compose, the sound driver being done by Baldwin but also with the invaluable assistance from Tim Rogers from Eurocom as well. Baldwin's compositions are some of the most beautiful and mesmerizing tunes on the console, the Title Screen alone being one of my favorite (title) themes of all time, the OST switches between the delightful tone to even intense with some of the Race tracks, all leading up to the final track with the Ranking theme which while almost holds a hint of sadness, but brings forth more a feeling of reminiscing the good times and accomplishments you've made. The Ranking theme is also known for being an unused track from James Bond Jr. (which I most certainly can't wait to work on). Overall, this is a good game made even more engaging thanks to Neil Baldwin's ability to craft some of the greatest tunes the NES has ever heard.

[@mr.g4990]

Niko, if you're interested, Neil has been posting something here recently: youtube.com/@neilbaldwin7701?si=fyNV6U_xjtyr-0OV He even answered a comment as of yesterday.

[@rocko7711]

❤❤

[@risenraven]

Cada cierto periodo de tiempo vuelvo a escuchar las canciones del Grand Prix porque están tan buenas que hasta lo tengo guardado en una playlist con otras canciones

[@applescruff1969]

Possibly my favorite NES soundtrack of all time.

[@danerd8978]

It's in my top as well. I discovered Neil by accident through his Duty Cycle Generator website which I believe is now defunct.

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

It's a fantastic one, definitely why I got it out so early in the original 8BS run, Neil Baldwin deserves more love for his NES work!

[@mr.g4990]

​​​@@danerd8978 It appears he is posting something here recently: youtube.com/@neilbaldwin7701?si=mvaGbt_EBVD_1tL6

[@tun04]

I wanna cry now :( This is my 3rd favorite nes ost. 1st was Contra and 2nd is Gun.Smoke

[@vadymmakukh4385]

Race Theme 1, which sounds on 6:30 - this melody is a masterpiece, it calls to go far at high speed!

[@bossofall1672]

Neil baldwin is a legend. This is a masterpiece

[@augustoortmeierarzivenco1783]

This OST reminds me of the work of Tim and Geoff Follin. It is really that great!!

[@rafael_15_icp63]

16:18 ahh Monaco 🥺😍😍

[@Kajichuu]

i have no idea why, but i remember this game just existing, cant recall ever buying this or goin "Ooo i want this!" but dang this brings back some memories~ something so soothing about race 1.

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

Probably the OST most people know from Neil Baldwin without even realizing it, as you have two of his games unreleased, one PAL only, and then the rest being oddities and fairly uncommon titles, probably thanks to the backing of Acclaim on this title they were able to produce a fair amount for it to be spread enough. Here is hoping Neil Baldwin gets his recognition like the Follin brothers or respect like Jeroen Tel for his NES work.

[@VitalikNerdChannel]

This very good composition on NES by Neil Baldwin! In November 2021, Russian-speaking KZbinr Pavel Grinev, under the nickname Kinaman, reviewed Music of the Bit, Music of the Childhood (Музыка Бит, Музыка Детства) about European composers on NES and among them was Neil Baldwin! 20:00 By the way, this music was still in the game James Bond Jr on NES, as an unused soundtrack!!

[@BB-te8tc]

It's like every month or so you swoop in, upload, and introduce me to a new NES composer I wasn't aware of.

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

You're welcome! Let's hope I can pick up the pace more than once a month! It would probably help if I promoted my Patreon better as I have per month goals to incentivize making more time for these, just don't have the free time like I did when I was still in high school, and then graduating and having free time basically from 2012 to 2014 where I focused a heavy amount of time getting the original version of these OST's out, but we shall see :)

[@AnimusInvidious]

Race Theme 4 = pure awesomeness.

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

All of this games Race Themes truly hit different vibes and its so unique for this type of game, I would like to think Neil had fun making these types of compositions regardless of knowing it was for a Formula One racing game :P

[@AnimusInvidious]

Absolutely! It's kind of a shame this game is relatively obscure. I mentioned your channel in my latest PerforModule blog post, "Ten More KZbin Channels Worth Subscribing To", by the way.

[@tun04]

My favorite argh man I miss my childhood soo much :/

[@Soulwatcher56]

​​@@Nikos8BitStereo Race Theme 1 = 70/80s style rock music. Race Theme 2 = italo disco/synthpop. Race Theme 3 = heavy metal. Race Theme 4 = 90s eurodance.

[@welcomevgmsoundtracks]

Oh! Childhood memories are coming to the fore... And they're good memories!

[@JamesDziezynski]

An average game like this has no business going this hard on the soundtrack!

[@supmattboy]

Why not ? At least the soundtrack is great :)

[@LatiNoble]

I remember playing this game. I don’t remember that this was quite a banger.

[@vandermeersch41]

1:00 Extasis 8Bit / 16:17 8Bit Masterpiece of all of times

[@jmac79ers]

Loving the c64 vibes from this ost, thanks for the upload Niko!

[@choppergunner8650]

Race Theme 2 makes me feel as if the cars intended for this game were from the late 70's/early 80's for some reason, back when turbos raced against atmos. To be honest, even the in-game cars when looked from the back resemble older F1 cars. Someone with good programming capabilities can change the cars' looks and the tracks to fit a more older F1 theme.

[@Tacoguy777]

I only played Rad Racer for racing NES games, so never got around to this one. Definitely has a nice soundtrack and bit more polish though.

[@mysteriousparadoxproductio9339]

This dude made the best soundtracks most never heard! Thank you for remastering this masterpiece in stereo!

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

Truth, he is probably my favorite NES composer, which is insanity considering you also have the greats of Tim & Geoff Follin, Naoki Kodaka, Iku Mizutani, David Wise, Jeroen Tel, Hirokazu Tanaka, and so many more that have to compete for amazing compositions on this console.

[@mysteriousparadoxproductio9339]

@@Nikos8BitStereo Hirokazu Tanaka > Koji Kondo fight me

[@midimusicforever]

The ranking track is the nicest one imo.

[@mr.g4990]

Never been too much into racing games so this one really flew under the radar back then. Never played it, I'll have to look into it. Also, this sounds like something Ocean would publish.

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

Definitely got that Euro vibe that would make it seem Ocean-esque, luckily distinguishable enough from Jonathan Dunn and Keith Tinman's compositions to be recognized as Baldwin's work. But its your standard Formula One racing game, but its soundtrack truly makes it the best.

[@mr.g4990]

​@@Nikos8BitStereoI need to chime in again more than a year later, gotta agree on the whole. This OST slaps hard and is on a whole different level. Just as the rest of Neil's work on the console.

[@danerd8978]

Race 1 could be played at a Dance Club! This sound track, Hero Quest, and The Magician are the best!

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

Neil Baldwin truly gave this soundchip a unique sound that has never been heard again, love that man.

[@Blink_____]

They're not really the same but Race Tune 3 always makes me think of the Falken's Maze segment from WarGames

[@rsdpro1]

Esse canal é muito bom

[@Arthursantana3437]

As melhores músicas do nes

[@choppergunner8650]

Did anyone ever get a pole position in this game? It's impossible to even qualify between the first 10 positions.

[@mr.g4990]

I think you need to use manual transmission to attain max speed, but I might be mistaken.

[@choppergunner8650]

@@mr.g4990 I do. Pressing down on the D-pad changes the gears. Car hits 335 kph, but still can't qualify even between the first 10 racers.

[@mr.g4990]

It's probably impossible to get a pole position or anywhere too close to maintain a degree of challenge for the player. A few comments here and there suggest so but I have no bigger clue.

[@bossofall1672]

I did

[@ЮраОлеговХлопенков]

БЛАГОДАРЪСТВУЙЮЬ!!!!😀😀😀😀😀😀😎😀😀😀😀😀😀😎😀😀😀😀😀😀😎

[@nikolairagnarov9979]

Leave for F1-75,a new era's Ferrari F1 machine! Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will meet new era with Ferrari.

[@JacopoTore]

[@kbxthegamemaster06]

Are you recording these from real hardware?

[@Nikos8BitStereo]

Nope, the base is NSFe (Nintendo Sound Format Extended) files, or at least NSF, the universal container format that holds the audio code ripped from the ROMs of these games, and work with my specific program to do this, I had said this before on my super early uploads, but yeah this isn't from real hardware.

[@kbxthegamemaster06]

@@Nikos8BitStereo oh ok

[@beibeituowen7073]

0.9x speed is the orginal taste of this masterpiece